First half of the year

Monday, April 21, 2014

Saturday was my first race of the year. I had originally been going to do the shamrock run but developed asthma and couldn't race that weekend. So with the asthma under control and back on training I set off for my first half of the year. The hop hop half. It's a flat run on a walking path on the water edge.

I told my husband that he could ride his bike while I was off on the run, just be back in 2 hours or so to see me cross the finish line. He took off before the race started with my blessing. I had three friends running the race two who would run way faster than me, and one who runs about my pace. I've been training with a new run strategy and needed to use this race as a training run so I had to do it my way.

The first 4 miles I tried not to get caught up in the race, but it was hard. I was able to maintain my 2:1 but the 1 instead of walking I would slow to a slow jog. I saw my husband at mile 5 and got a kiss from him. That was so sweet! And yes worth the little bit of slowing me down.

Then I saw my team in training group. They had a bike ride that day and I'd been given a pass. They where all looking for me, and we where surprised that they got to see me. Getting that much personal cheering during a run was something I've never had before and a huge help.

On the way back about mile 10 -13 the weather changed an storm came in and the wind and rain was coming down hard heavy and sideways!!! It was a slow long 3 miles. My pace had slowed and I was having to focus on 2 min at a time. I could keep the run up for two min, just two min.

Finally we come around the coroner and see the finish line. I'd been playing hop scotch with a lady and she starts to pass me at the finish line and I said.. OH NO I'm going to beet you I have too.. and I kicked in to a little faster gear, and made it across just before her. :) She congratulated me on a good race and I her.

The results: 13.1 ran in 2:41:54 Not bad. It's about 10 min off of my PR run. I lost it in the last 3 miles I know that. Half the battle was just to finish a 13.1 mile run, now to work on my speed.